What we know about COVID vaccine booster shots — and when we may need them - Yahoo News

population is fully vaccinated against COVID-19, many people are beginning to wonder how long that protection will last, and if they will need a booster shot down the road.

In an Axios interview last month, Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said the data he was seeing so far supported “the notion that there will likely be a need for a booster somewhere between eight and 12 months.” He added that for the first wave of Americans who were vaccinated, booster shots could be needed as soon as September or October.

Although experts are not exactly sure how long the COVID-19 vaccines offer protection, they believe it may last at least six months and likely a year.

Some studies have analyzed blood samples from the first people who were vaccinated in the trials to measure their levels of antibodies and immune cells that fight off the coronavirus.

The National Institutes of Health recently announced it would be conducting a new clinical trial of people fully vaccinated with one of the authorized vaccines to see whether a booster of the Moderna shot will increase their antibodies and prolong their protection against the virus.

Vaccine makers such as Moderna, Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson are also working on developing and testing booster shots in trials.

Kavita Patel said that early data suggests some people, particularly the elderly, the immunocompromised and those who have had solid-organ transplants, may need boosters “sooner rather than later.” This is because “they demonstrate lower levels of immunity, even with the current vaccines.

Another important question is whether people will need booster shots tailored for specific variants.

Patel said the current vaccines so far protect against these emerging variants of concern around the world, but “some to a lesser degree than the variants we had a year ago.”.

Finally, some people are wondering if it will be safe to switch vaccine brands if boosters are needed.

Diamond said trials are underway to determine if this is possible.

The bottom line, Diamond told Yahoo News, is that even though there is a lot to learn about COVID-19 booster shots, the current vaccines in the U.S.

are “amazing,” and people should take advantage of the protection they offer?